Category: Manchester

Manchester Venue 70 – The Attic

Manchester Oxford Road train station opened in 1849 and was built in the renowned local slum area of ‘Little Ireland’ and was initially a single platform station. Over the intervening period the station expanded to five platforms, and I have caught trains from them all!

When I first used to commute over to gigs in Manchester from Preston in the mid 80’s we always needed someone to drive as the only alternate was an hourly train into Manchester Victoria. The opening of the 700m Windsor Link between Salford Crescent and Deansgate in 1988 vastly improved the situation as it connected lines to the north and south of Manchester, opening up routes from Preston into Oxford Road, Piccadilly, and the Airport. The train then became the chosen mode of transport for gig nights.   

I have always been fond of Oxford Road station it as it has been my most regular arrival/departure point for nearby venues Sound Control, Ritz, and Gorilla or to the four Academy venues a short walk away down Oxford Road. Some of this allure has waned slightly as it has now become my work commute point since moving to Manchester. The station is a Grade II listed building and as a result needs a little bit of love and constant repair and it can be a draughty place. It is still listed for expansion if the Northern Hub plans ever reach fruition. 

Oxford Road station. Image Credit manchesterhistory.net

There used to be an old piano near Platform 4 where you could occasionally hear drunken punters trying to embrace their inner Mozart! I also read somewhere that on a Motown tour including a very young Stevie Wonder in the 60’s, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas once stepped off onto the platform and played a set, which I am sure would have been a sight to behold.  

The station is built on a hill and as you exit the station there is a road that slopes downwards to the left bringing you out where the Cornerhouse Cinema used to be located and opposite the Palace Theatre. Years ago, I saw West Side Story there and recently saw School of Rock, which was superb fun and recommended. Just outside the entrance they have replaced the newsagent kiosk with a new vendor called Slice Pizza and Bread Bar, and you may be unsurprised to discover, I have already partaken of their wares prior to the last train departing.

If you head marginally right this takes you to the 56 steps (I have counted them!) leading down to a trio of pubs and Oxford Road. Many times, there has been a cheeky very late beer necessitating a scramble up these steps, then the incline and then up and down a further two flights of stairs and an additional 64 steps on to Platform 2 for the last Preston train. A couple of times, it was missed, and I recall one other time when I was holding the train doors ajar much to the platform staff’s chagrin as Gill and Uncle George flew down the stairs behind me!

At the bottom of the aforementioned steps immediately to your left is the grungy Salisbury pub, which has been a meeting point for many years, and they do support the local music scene by offering a reduction on the price of your pint via producing evidence of a gig ticket for that evening, for any venue.    

Directly opposite the Salisbury at either 50 New Wakefield Street or 50 Oxford Road (the official address is unclear!) are a set of spiral stairs taking you up to Manchester Attic, which sits adjacent and upstairs from the Thirsty Scholar pub. This venue fascinated me for many years due to its location, but we had never had a chance to visit as its primary function was a late-night dance club. However, good things come to those who wait as the Dot-to-Dot festival included it on their 2013 roster.

Myself pictured recently outside the Attic venue. Image Credit John Dewhurst.

Next to there but at a lower level is the Zombie Shack which I have never visited but it was included in the roster for the recent Neighbourhood Festival held in that area encompassing thirteen local venues.  

Thus, we finally headed upwards to the Attic venue though to be fair it was fairly nondescript as a small one room setting with a bar on the right and an alcove stage at the end of the room, but it was nevertheless a huge tick in the Jimmy gig roster! Searching the internet, it remains unclear whether the venue is still operational.

First on stage were the Rivals followed by the Thumpers (often known as THUMPERS), a London indie pop duo. One of their member was previously a drummer in Noah and the Whale. They subsequently split in 2018 with their final show taking place at the Lexington in London.

Manchester Venue 68 and 69 Gullivers NQ – Part 2

I have encountered many free bonus gigs at Gullivers NQ when visiting before and after attending another scheduled gig in the local area, it is also a useful ten-minute easy jaunt from Manchester Piccadilly station for the trains to and from home.

Upstairs via some cramped stairs leads you to Gullivers NQ Ballroom with a capacity of 110.  It is a windowless room with a raised stage at the end and can be very warm and a tad claustrophobic when busy. When less populated a gap on the side walls can be located to lean and sway upon.  I have attended fourteen gigs there in total.

My first visit prior to a gig at the Ruby Lounge on 21/10/10 was to see a local band called Blackjack Boys. Eighteen months later I witnessed Manchester trio the Onions who were in the Talking Heads mould, they garnered some attention in the following couple of years with a suite of 6 music sessions.

I visited three times in 2014, the initial one to watch Young Mountains, a six-piece post-rock band from Atlanta, Georgia who I surmise were named after their compatriots This Will Destroy You’s debut album.

Young Mountains. Image Credit listenherereviews.com

The second was a slightly anomalous one as it was the only time, I have paid for a singular gig there and not as part of a festival. The band in question was History of Apple Pie from London, a shoegaze act in the vein of Pains of Being Pure at Heart who I had seen previously at Salford Arms. They weren’t quite as good as that debut performance as the sound was a bit muddy prior to asking the audience ‘do we need to turn our guitars up?’ which received categoric assent from myself.    

History of Apple Pie. Image Credit NME

The final piece of that trilogy was Walton Hesse, another Manchester band who produced a fine slice of Americana with pleasing harmonies, reminding me of a country version of Nada Surf. Next on the roster was a double bill of London three-piece Mayors of Miyzaki and Personal Best, a punk band from Bristol. The latter acts initial line up having future members of Attack! Vipers! and Caves in their ranks.

At the 2016 edition of the Dot-to-Dot festival I saw the mod band Pleasure Beach, somewhat appropriately deriving from Blackpool formed by two schoolmates from Carr Hill High School in Kirkham. That school bizarrely being the first team we played at football when I was goalkeeper in the fifth year for Cuthbert Mayne High School in Preston.

Next on the list was a post-hardcore band from Leeds called Unwave, who were a very bracing challenging listen. At the tail end of 2017 another Leeds act called Mush were in town, they had an enjoyable off-kilter sound reminiscent of alt-rock luminaries such as Sonic Youth and Pavement. The band are currently about to go on a British tour.

Continuing the Yorkshire theme at the 2018 Dot-to-Dot I saw KAWALA who met originally whilst studying in Leeds but now reside in London, they were a tad limp for my tastes. Later that year I see roots singer Debra Ohalete who had African influences within her music.

Next on the Gullivers roster was Brighton based folk singer Bess Atwell. She was prolific from a tender age and started writing her own songs at the age of thirteen. My penultimate attendance there was to witness local post-punk four-piece Springfield Elementary. They reminded me a little of Stump of C86 fame.

My only post-covid visit thus far in April 22 was at the Fair Play Northern Quarter festival to see YAANG. Originally a Manchester duo called YANG they added a third member Ben White, previously of Working Mens Club during lockdown resulting in adding an extra A to their name. They were difficult to quantify but perhaps an apt description might be an electro doomy Joy Division, am I selling them well?